Here's where I spent part of my afternoon today, which is just a few minutes from the house where I'm staying. As you can see, it wasn't too crowded, and though the wind was blowing, it was quite warm and the water was pretty sweet. This is the beach where in 2004 California Governor Arnold … Continue reading Wailea Beach
Back on Island
So yeah, I took a break from work and the rain and the bitter, absurdly early winter cold and flew to Maui for a week. I arrived yesterday afternoon, and so far have done a few things. Somewhere between San Francisco and Maui I lost my Ray-Bans. Then I ran into an old friend at … Continue reading Back on Island
More Useless But Funny Memories
So yeah, lately I've been trying to find this old Maui Time Weekly column I once wrote in which I explain my view that Ray Parker, Jr.'s song "Ghostbusters" was actually a hard-hitting anti-lynching song, but I can't find it. Such is the case with a lot of what I wrote, sadly... Anyway, during my … Continue reading More Useless But Funny Memories
Hearing Voices
So the other night a friend and I were milling about Sacramento's Second Saturday (It was Zombie Night!), walking down the street among throngs of people and catching completely random snippets of conversation, which we then tried to figure out and explain. "I was drunk off my ass!" one woman said as we walked by. … Continue reading Hearing Voices
Happy Father’s Day, Dad
I'm feeling unusually narcissistic right now, and since it's Father's Day, I'm going to write about Frank Pignataro, my dad. He and I were close, always good to each other, though because I lived on Maui at the time I wasn't there for him when he died of cancer in October 2007, which is probably … Continue reading Happy Father’s Day, Dad
The photo
A number of you (okay, four) have noted or made inquiries or even laughed uproariously (alright, exhibited bemused expressions) at the sight of this photograph. It was taken back in February by my friend Elaine at the Sacramento Community Theater, which was then running the Sacramento Opera's performance of La Traviata. And yes, it is … Continue reading The photo
I had no idea Roseville was so famous…
So the other night I'm flipping through channels when I came upon this History Channel rerun. And right at the perfect time, too, when the program--which details famous incidents when toxic or explosive cargo went awry--was showing footage of pretty much the biggest thing ever to happen in Roseville: on the morning of April 28, … Continue reading I had no idea Roseville was so famous…
Court is in session
Spent part of an otherwise lovely afternoon today watching arraignments over at Placer County Superior Court's Department 13, located in the less than lovely Auburn Jail in Auburn, California. I was there to see if I could get an update on this kid, but as is typical in these types of criminal matters, all I … Continue reading Court is in session
My dilemma
Blogging when you're a journalist can really mess with your mind. Case in point is what I should or should not do with this Sacramento Bee article, covering events at yesterday's Sacramento County Board of Supervisors hearing, which I watched online from the comforts of my home. As the story notes, a great many residents … Continue reading My dilemma
Apologies for such a long absence…
... But blogging is an altogether different thing entirely when you get back into being a working journalist. Or semi-working. Whatever, the point is I'm on assignment again for a newspaper, and it feels really good–like having a cast cut off from your arm, freeing it for the first time in months. It's funny how … Continue reading Apologies for such a long absence…